Starfish – Ms. Cooks




I am excited to announce this week's Starfish teacher of the week is Ms. Joni Cooks! 

Although this is my first year at Biloxi Junior high, I was greeted early on by Ms. Cooks in the beginning of the school year. We both have the same goofy personality! 

She is always so positive and can make you laugh at all times. A few months ago we were in training together and she made the entire class laugh with all of her jokes and made the training fun and enjoyable! 

Whenever I have gone by Ms. Cooks’ classroom, she always has her students engaging in their work and making math class fun. You can tell that Ms. Cooks wants every one of her students to be successful. Biloxi Junior High is lucky to have someone like Ms. Cooks! 

Coach Woolbright 

I am excited to announce my Starfish Teacher of the week, Coach Meredith Woolbright! Coach Woolbright is new to the Biloxi School District. She is the Biloxi Jr. High Head Softball Coach.  Her passion for softball is starting to show in her players and the love for her P.E. students is starting to show as well.  Biloxi Jr. High School, a few weeks ago, had a dress like a teacher day, and several of her softball players and her students dressed like her. That shows the love and respect her students and players have for her.  I’m super excited to see what the future holds for the Biloxi Jr. High Softball program with Coach Woolbright as the Head Coach.  I truly believe Coach Woolbright is going to be awesome for the Biloxi School District.

-Chief Mario Weekley

Starfish Employee - Chief Mario Weekley

For this week’s Starfish Teacher Award, I would like to nominate Chief Mario Weekley. Chief Weekley goes above and beyond his call of duty as our Chief of Police for Biloxi Schools. Not only does he keep every student, faculty, and staff member at Biloxi Jr. High safe, he also ensures the safety of everyone in our school district every single day, as well as our families and community at our various events in our school district. Chief Weekley builds great relationships with all of our students and is a great mentor to everyone. Thank you, Chief Weekley for all you do for us all. BJH is blessed to have you.

Amy Johnson

I am nominating Amy Johnson for the Starfish Award this week.  

Mrs. Johnson loves her students and is always so encouraging.  She builds relationships with them and most of her students refer to her as “Mama J.” She supports not only her colleagues but the Biloxi community as well. 

Mrs. Johnson creates a positive environment for her students and is always doing something fun in her classroom.  She is missed on our ELA hall, but she is doing great things in her new position in MS Studies.  

BJHS is lucky to have Mrs. Johnson! 

I am nominating Jennifer Salloum for the Starfish Award. She truly makes a difference in our school community. Ms. Salloum has the greatest sense of humor creating a welcoming and enjoyable environment. Beyond academics, she builds strong, positive relationships with both students and staff, fostering a sense of trust and respect that inspires everyone around them. Ms. Salloum is not only a dedicated educator but a genuine asset to our school, always going above and beyond to support others. Her impact is felt daily, and Ms. Salloum is the true embodiment of the spirit of the Starfish Award.

I am excited to announce my Starfish Teacher of the Week, Mr. Ryan Langford! Mr. Langford's passion for math shines through in his teaching. He differentiates his instruction to engage students of all ability levels. By combining tough love with a healthy dose of humor, he builds strong relationships with his students. In fact, his 8th graders loved him so much that they often ask to stay for tutoring—and he happily accommodates them. Our school is truly fortunate to have such an outstanding math teacher!

I have known Elizabeth McLeod  since her very first year of teaching in 2014, and we had the pleasure of working together on the same 7th grade science team. From the very beginning, she impressed me with her exceptional ability to handle data  and keep all of her paperwork meticulously organized. Her attention to detail and dedication made her an invaluable asset to our team, and I was genuinely sad to see her leave when she transitioned into special education. However, she has truly flourished in her new role, finding her true calling. Her heart for her students is immense, and she brings an unwavering passion for their success. Mrs. McLeod is not only a caring and compassionate teacher but also a fierce advocate for her students, always fighting for their best interests. Her love for both her students and our school shines in everything she does. Liz is exactly where she needs to be, making a difference every day. We are blessed to have her in our tribe!

Ms. Mabel chose Ms. Stephanie Dodd as our Starfish Teacher of the week. She is impressed with Ms. Dodd’s dedication to the school and the students. They see each other early in the mornings as they both arrive around 6am. Ms. Mabel loves that Ms. Dodd is so good with the students all the time.

Our starfish staff member for the week is Ms. Mable from Diversified. She is absolutely the G.O.A.T (greatest of all times) staff member for BJHS. She is very loving and caring for each of our students, as well as the student body. She is always willing to go the extra mile for everyone with the biggest smile. She is such a beautiful lady inside and out with the sweetest soul. We absolutely love her and are so proud to have on our team here at BJHS.

My starfish teacher(s) for the week are Christy Emrick, Terrell Sutton (not pictured), and Be-Be Fountain.  These special education teachers, which make up our SCD team, have a true calling for what they do and they inspire all of us every day in their ability to connect with each child.  The environment they create is one of love and acceptance which helps each student learn to the best of their ability.  Though challenging at times, you can feel the passion they have for what they do and they always greet everyone with a smile.  Over the years, each one of them has touched the lives of many kids as well as their families and their coworkers.  We want you all to know how much we appreciate all that you do to make a difference in the world of special education and are honored to have you as part of our BJH family.

Starfish Teacher 9/9-9/13 – Ashley Chichkanov

My StarFish Teacher for the week is Mrs. Ashley Chichkanov. Ashley wears so many hats for BJH, but her dedication, hard work, and commitment has significantly contributed to the success of our school. She’s the first person everyone sees as they walk in the front office of the school, she always greets everyone with a smile on her face, and has a positive attitude. She sets the atmosphere and tone for our school by being in her position, and I think that she’s the perfect person for that. Her ability to adapt and be flexible with unexpected situations is admiring. Ashley helps out whenever and wherever it is needed, and it is greatly appreciated. We may not say it enough, but we are grateful and thankful to have her in our BJH family.

Starfish Teacher 9/2-9/6 – Coach Hill

I am nominating Coach Hill as starfish teacher of the week! Coach Hill always goes above and beyond for her students and her athletes. I have worked with Coach Hill for 6 years now and she has always held her students and teams to a very high standard. She pushes all girls to their highest potential and sets a good example for them. She is also very organized and keeps her gym clean by sweeping the floors herself. In season she can be seen teaching her athletes to overcome their weaknesses and push themselves harder each day. Overall, Coach Hill is a great teacher and coach and she deserves the recognition of this award.

-Coach Bellais

Starfish Teacher 8/26-8/30–C. Bellais

Coach Bellais and I both started teaching at Biloxi Junior High the same year. Over the last seven years I have watched her grow as a teacher, coach and friend. I am always inspired by her drive and competitive nature. When in season, she can be found on the field conditioning with her athletes as if she too were in Junior High. In her classroom, she is insistent that students treat each other with respect and follow school and classroom expectations.  In addition to teaching and coaching track and soccer, she also volunteers to drive bus routes when needed. Congratulations to our newest Starfish Teacher, Coach Bellais! 

Starfish Teacher 8/19-8/23–Casey Bridley

Having worked here for many years, I’ve witnessed the hard work and dedication of everyone, and I believe it’s important for each person to receive the recognition they deserve for the time and energy they put into their students and school. That being said, this week I would like to shine the spotlight on Mrs. Bridley. She is always ready to lend a helping hand when she sees a staff member struggling with a project. She volunteered to assist in the registration computer lab and helped distribute last year’s yearbooks to students because she saw that we needed extra help that day. Furthermore, she ensures that donations from businesses are sent to BJHS for th ePBIS student of the week, providing students with a little extra gift and recognition for their kindness If we inform her about a student in need, she goes above and beyond to rally others to help that student receive essential items such as clothes, shoes, Christmas gifts, and school supplies. Mrs. Bridley also serves as yearbook and Kindness Club sponsor, and she makes her US History class engaging and enjoyable for her students. 

Thank you, Mrs. Bridley, for all you do to support us in the office and for our BJHS students.

Starfish Teacher 8/12-8/16–Courtney Martin

Our first Starfish Employee of the school year is Mrs. Courtney Martin!! Courtney was nominated by Ms. Laura Landry for all of the help that Courtney provided during registration, and administration seconds that! She is our go-to person for most anything!

“I would like to give a "Big Thanks" to Mrs. Martin for helping me with all the registration setups and the whole process.”--Laura Landry

We appreciate you, Mrs. Martin!